Thursday, October 27, 2011

Fore-arm Tips, its all in the Wrist

By Nick Nilsson

Want to learn a shortcut to bigger arms? Check out this powerful information on the Reverse Grip Curl. You're not reaching full potential arm size if you neglect this highly under-rated exercise.

What is the one arm exercise you'll very rarely see any body in the gym do? The Reverse Grip Curl, of course! There are two main reasons it's such an overlooked exercise:

1. If you're doing it correctly, you can't use nearly as much weight as you could with a regular-grip barbell curl. Many weight lifters, and body builders are going to opt for the exercise that allows them to use heavier weight with the thought that it'll be more effective for building up the arms, and make them look better in front of everyone training at the gym;)

2. The Reverse Curl works a muscle in the arms that is not particularly visible: the brachialis (located on the lower aspect of the upper arm, just below the bicep muscle). Not being visible often translates into not being important in the eyes of many trainers.

But for the lifter in search of bigger arms, the Reverse Curl is a KEY exercise. Want to know what a well-developed brachialis muscle does? It pushes the peak of the bicep muscle up higher, making for a more dramatic flex and an overall bigger arm!

So if Reverse Curls aren't a part of your arm-training routine, it's time to take another look at this neglected exercise. And, of course, I've got tips to help you make it even MORE effective!

Look for the link at the end of the article for pictures of this exercise and the tips in action.

How To Do Reverse Curls:

Angelina Jolie shows off her toned body shape.

For this exercise, you can use either a straight barbell (e.g. an Olympic bar) or an EZ Curl bar. Start with about HALF of the weight you would use for a regular barbell curl for 8 reps - you may increase it later but it's important to use a lighter weight to start with to make sure you're using proper form. This exercise can easily turn into a "clean" movement with a lot of momentum if you use too much weight.

Take a shoulder-width grip on the bar. Instead of gripping with your hands underneath the bar like a regular curl, grip on TOP of the bar (this is known as a pronated grip). If you're using an EZ bar, grip it on the downward-sloping parts of the bar just outside of the central straight section.

Keeping your elbows close to your sides, knees slightly bent, and hands gripped tightly onto the bar, curl it up as you would with a regular curl. Because you are gripping the top of the bar, the supinated grip will utilize the brachialis muscle to move the weight. You'll feel strong tension in your forearms as well, especially as you come to the top of the curl.

Hold for a second at the top, feel the squeeze, then lower slowly. You should feel the area under your lower biceps swelling up with blood.

That's it!

This is the start position of the Reverse Grip Barbell Curl.

The hands are in a pronated (palms back) position on the bar, about shoulder-width apart.

Curl the bar up to the top as you would in a regular barbell curl, keeping your knees slightly bent and arms at your sides.

Squeeze the brachilis hard at the top (it will feel like you're trying to squeeze the biceps but they won't be activated).

How to Grip an EZ Curl Bar For Reverse Curls:

This is the best position to grip the EZ Curl Bar for Reverse Curls. Note how the hands are placed at the BOTTOM of the downward angle of the bar.

This ensure you get the best activation of the brachialis and forearms.

This will still work okay, but it's not as good as in the picture above.

When you grip at the top of the curve, your thumbs hook under the bar and it takes away some of the tension that should be going to the target muscles.

Tips and Tricks for Reverse Curls:

Instead of taking the time to reduce the weight on your drop sets, you can accomplish the same increased tension by changing your grip on the bar.

Start with a very close grip (your hands placed about 3 to 4 inches apart). Do as many reps as you can with this grip width. The closer grip puts a more intense contraction on the brachialis - the reason we don't use it for regular sets is that it will reduce the amount of weight you can use for the exercise.

When you've done as many reps as possible with the very close grip, set the bar down and move your hands out to a shoulder-width grip. Do as many reps as you can with that grip. When you've done as many reps as you can with that width, set the bar down and move your hands out wider (I like to use index finger on the smooth guide circle on the Olympic bar).

This grip is similar to what you'd use for a barbell hang clean and the movement itself on this last set can incorporate some momentum in order to keep the bar going. This will completely burn out your brachialis muscles.

This is the first grip you'll take on the bar.

Note where the hands are placed - about 4 inches apart and on the smooth, center section of the barbell.

This is the strictest grip position.

When you can't do any more reps with the first grip, shift your grip over a little wider.

In this grip, your hands will be about shoulder-width apart, just on the area where the bar becomes textured for gripping.

When you can't do anymore reps on the second grip, shift over wider until your pinkies are on the smooth markers on the Olympic bar.

The reverse curl movement will look like a slow "clean" movement".

This grip uses the traps and back to assist with moving the bar.

2. When you come to the top of the Reverse Curl, let your wrists flex back

And raise your elbows until they are pointing directly forward. This will look like the arm position for the front squat. This will provide a more full muscular contraction of the brachialis muscles.

This will look like a 4 part movement: first, the normal reverse curl, then the elbows raise up and the hands flop back, then you lower the elbows, then you lower the bar to the bottom position.

3. When you're doing the Reverse Curl with the EZ bar, don't grip the bar with your thumbs against the top of the slope of the bar.

Grip the bar at the BOTTOM of the slope. When you grip at the top, you will be bracing your thumb against the center section of the bar, decreasing the work the forearm and gripping muscles must do - this work is among the major benefits of the exercise. By gripping at the bottom of the slope, you get no bracing effect and you get more tension on the target muscles.

4. As you do the Reverse Curl, try to bring your elbows together.

This will increase the muscle contraction of the brachialis at the top of the movement. Try to imagine you are rotating your arms inward as you are curling the bar upwards.

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Conclusion:

The Reverse Grip Barbell Curl is not a glamorous exercise and it won't turn heads while you're doing it. What WILL turn heads are the results you get when you work hard at it!

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BONUS: The Four Part Reverse Curl Movement

This version of the Reverse Curl adds in an extra movement at the shoulder to further increase the muscular contraction on the brachialis muscles. You start with the full Reverse Curl then, when your hands are at the top, you raise your elbows until they point straight forward. Hold for a second, feel the muscle contract then lower your elbows, then lower the bar to the bottom position.

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